Category: Religion Unplugged

Religion Unplugged

✈️ Soldier who helped capture Saddam Hussein leads aviation ministry 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged EDMOND, Okla. — U.S. Army soldier. Republican congressman. Southern Baptist pastor. That was the career path of former U.S. Rep. Steve Russell. But then Russell was recruited … Continue reading ✈️ Soldier who helped capture Saddam Hussein leads aviation ministry 🔌

Unknown's avatarBobby Ross Jr.
Religion Unplugged

🎰 Super Bowl betting frenzy: Is America’s ubiquitous sports gambling a problem? 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged If a modern-day Rip Van Winkle woke up this weekend, imagine his shock at the ease and prevalence of online sports gambling. Keith Stanglin, a Christian preacher … Continue reading 🎰 Super Bowl betting frenzy: Is America’s ubiquitous sports gambling a problem? 🔌

Unknown's avatarBobby Ross Jr.
Religion Unplugged

🚨 Inside the Minnesota immigration fight’s faith fault lines 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged Hey, Minneapolis. You again, huh? “I don’t know why it feels like it’s always happening in Minneapolis, but I guess we are here for a reason,” Patrick … Continue reading 🚨 Inside the Minnesota immigration fight’s faith fault lines 🔌

Unknown's avatarBobby Ross Jr.
Religion Unplugged

✍️ After 61 years, this legend still hasn’t missed a beat on the Godbeat 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged “Why not keep busy?” That’s Richard Ostling’s quick reply when asked why — at age 85 — he’s still churning out insightful religion news content. “Our beat is … Continue reading ✍️ After 61 years, this legend still hasn’t missed a beat on the Godbeat 🔌

Unknown's avatarBobby Ross Jr.
Oklahoman, Religion Unplugged

📰 How a career choice by my wife led me to the Godbeat 25 years ago 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged OKLAHOMA CITY — Twenty-five years ago this week, I watched as two-time killer Wanda Jean Allen was strapped to a gurney and injected with lethal drugs at … Continue reading 📰 How a career choice by my wife led me to the Godbeat 25 years ago 🔌

Unknown's avatarBobby Ross Jr.
Religion Unplugged

✝️ Preacher and ‘Pop’: Remembering Marshall Keeble’s faith and his humor 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged NASHVILLE, Tenn. — To Gwen Cummings, the late Marshall Keeble was more than a famous traveling evangelist. He was her “Pop.” Keeble was born in 1878, 13 years … Continue reading ✝️ Preacher and ‘Pop’: Remembering Marshall Keeble’s faith and his humor 🔌

Unknown's avatarBobby Ross Jr.
Associated Press, Christian Chronicle, Religion Unplugged, The Ross News

2025 year in review: Bobby Ross Jr.’s most memorable stories and columns

By Bobby Ross Jr. OKLAHOMA CITY — In 2025, I celebrated my 35th anniversary in full-time journalism. The best part: I still love what I do. I serve as editor-in-chief of The Christian Chronicle and write the Weekend Plug-in column for Religion Unplugged. Besides my regular work, I freelanced in 2025 for The Associated Press and the Washington Post. This fall I flew 5,000 miles to … Continue reading 2025 year in review: Bobby Ross Jr.’s most memorable stories and columns

Unknown's avatarBobby Ross Jr.
Religion Unplugged

🏆 Weekend Plug-in year in review: The best religion journalism of 2025 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged It’s time for my favorite Weekend Plug-in column of the year! For this special year-end edition, I asked some of the nation’s top religion journalists to share … Continue reading 🏆 Weekend Plug-in year in review: The best religion journalism of 2025 🔌

Unknown's avatarBobby Ross Jr.
Religion Unplugged

🏀 ‘Full Court Faith’: Former NBA team owner George Shinn opens up 🔌

Editor’s note: Every Friday, “Weekend Plug-in” meets readers at the intersection of faith and news. Click to join nearly 10,000 subscribers who get this column delivered straight to their inbox. Got feedback or ideas? Email Bobby Ross Jr. By Bobby Ross Jr. | Religion Unplugged Like King David in the Bible, George Shinn declared his faith in God as he rose to prominence. A quarter-century ago, though, the millionaire businessman who brought the NBA’s original … Continue reading 🏀 ‘Full Court Faith’: Former NBA team owner George Shinn opens up 🔌

Unknown's avatarBobby Ross Jr.